TWO THOMASIANS were named 2022 Outstanding Young Scientists by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).
Asst. Prof. Nikki Heherson Dagamac of the UST Department of Biological Sciences and Assoc. Prof. Maria Ruth Pineda-Cortel of the Faculty of Pharmacy were recognized for their contributions in the biological sciences and health sciences, respectively.
In 2021, Dagamac was part of the team of UST researchers tapped to validate a newly developed, more efficient Covid-19 test kit by a Singapore biotech company.
Pineda-Cortel, in the same year, received the Philippine Association of Schools of Medical Technology Educators Excellence Award in Research for her research work on gestational diabetes mellitus.
Meanwhile, Asst. Prof. Donna May Papa together with Thomasian alumni Ronniel Alfred Acebes, Meryl Grace Cuento, Adelyn Gale Serna and Tracey Antaeus Gutierrez received the 2022 Outstanding Scientific Paper award for their study titled, “Comparing the efficacy of bacteriophages and antibiotics in treating Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium on Streptomycin-pre treated Mice.”
The team investigated the use of salmonella phages to treat gastroenteritis as an alternative to antibiotics, citing that the overuse of conventional antibiotics may lead to antibiotic resistance.
Assoc. Prof. Alan Rodelle Salcedo of the Department of Chemistry, Professor Emeritus Fortunato Sevilla III and alumna Nova Carisa Morabe also bagged the Outstanding Scientific Paper award for their research titled, “Colorimetric detection of cadmium (II) using glutathione-capped gold nanoparticles.”
The 2022 NAST Annual Scientific Meeting and awarding ceremony will be held on July 14.
